


Impulse

by Misha Berry (MishaDerps)



Series: Presents [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-14
Updated: 2017-10-14
Packaged: 2019-01-17 03:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12356478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MishaDerps/pseuds/Misha%20Berry
Summary: Keith and Lance play some video games and Keith has no brain filter.





	Impulse

**Author's Note:**

> My first VLD fic! This is actually a birthday present for the best friend in world, [ Ari](http://teasdays.tumblr.com), WHICH WAS ACTUALLY SEVERAL WEEKS AGO BUT WHATEVER I FINALLY GOT IT FINISHED. I LOVE YOU SWEETY HERE HAVE SOME GAY! Also a big thanks to [swanqueenfeathers](https://swanqueenfeathers.tumblr.com) for helping me come up with the premise.

It was a well known fact that Keith had very little impulse control. Rushing headlong into things without thinking about them was a personality trait of his at this point. His plans tended to run along the ‘make it up as I go along’ vein, rather than be anything concrete. Though this allowed him to be very adaptable in battle, it wasn’t always the best strategy.

Keith had come to understand this about himself, and it was something he was working on, especially ever since becoming the leader of Voltron. He had a team to lead, and he couldn't keep dragging them into danger and almost certain death at every turn. It was likely to get someone hurt. Or worse.

Which was why he had become so grateful to Lance over the weeks. The younger boy had become his voice of reason, his literal right hand as Voltron. Not only that, but he’d become Keith’s friend, laughing and joking around with him and offering his support when Keith needed it. It was something Keith had never really had with anyone else, even Shiro. Most people saw him as too volatile or distanced to try to get to know him, but Lance had always been so patient. Even when they’d been ‘rivals’, Lance had never made Keith feel like he wasn’t part of the group. It was something that Keith had always appreciated about Lance.

Currently, the two of them were sitting in Lance’s room, playing the video game that he and Pidge had gotten at the space mall (and Pidge and Hunk had finally figured out how to hook up to a screen so it could be played). Keith had never really had the patience for video games, so he was mostly watching Lance play while they talked, sitting on Lance’s bed for lack of chairs.

“So you worked on a farm when you were younger?” Keith asked, eyes going back and forth from the screen and Lance.

“Yeah I did a bunch of odd jobs when I was a kid to help out the family,” Lance said, “It also helped us scrape up enough money to help get me into the Garrison.”

“I thought you had a scholarship?” Keith asked.

“Yeah, but we still had to buy the uniform and stuff. Pay the fees,” Lance said, rapidly clicking a few buttons on the controller, “Everyone worked really hard to help get enough so I could go.”

Keith hummed, wondering what that felt like, to have your family work so hard so you could follow your dreams. Keith had been left a sizable inheritance which had allowed him to pay for anything he might need, including school, and he’d never really had much family outside his dad and Shiro (not counting whatever Galra family he might not know about).

He didn’t really know what to say to Lance, so he focussed on something else, “What other kinds of jobs did you do?”

Lance happily launched into a long explanation of the many jobs he’d held over the years; farmhand, waiter, babysitter, fishmonger, dishwasher, the list went on and on. Whenever they came to a difficult part of the game, he’d tell a story that wasn’t so nice, but from the way he talked, it was clear that most of his experiences had been good ones.

“You know babysitting was my first job?” Lance said, rapidly clicking some buttons in a sequence, “I think I was like, twelve or something. Got five pesos to look after the neighbours kids for a half an hour while their mom went to the store. I was already watching my younger sisters, so it wasn’t a big deal, but it was nice to have earned that five pesos.”

“I can imagine,” Keith said, though he really couldn’t. He’d never really been able to hold a job for more than a week, always clashing too hard with employers or coworkers.

Lance smiled and continued, “Yeah I started watching all the kids on the block for extra cash after that. Then when I was old enough I started helping my dad out at the docks.”

“You lived close to a beach right?” Keith asked, “In Cuba?”

“Yeah, Varadero Beach. The main beach is a tourist spot, and my mom worked in one of the resorts there, but we lived a little further down into the main town,” Lance explained.

“That must have been nice, to live next to the ocean,” Keith said, leaning back onto his hands. He’d spent most of his life in the desert, without any large bodies of water nearby.

“If you don't mind hurricanes and the occasional tsunami, sure,” Lance said, “But yeah, I guess it was nice. I practically lived in the water during the summer. And oh! I have to tell you about this one time in the tide pools with my brother!”

Keith watched as Lance talked about his family, and the hijinks they used to get up to before he came to the Garrison. He tried to keep his eye on the game, but Lance’s face just drew his eyes as he spoke. Lance’s skin was such a lovely dark colour, it looked warm to the touch. The spattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks bunched and stretched as he talked and when he smiled. Keith also liked Lance’s short hair; it was so soft looking, like it would be silky to the touch. The prettiest thing about Lance though, was his eyes, those bright blue eyes that lit up and sparked when he was excited. Keith had never seen eyes as blue as Lance’s, or maybe he’d never cared to notice anyone else’s eyes, Lance was just special.

As Lance talked, he got more and more animated and his face more bright. It was a shame they were in a room with the lights turned down; Lance looked much better in the sunlight, the warm, natural light bringing out his freckles and setting his eyes ablaze. Lance was the only one who knew how to milk Kaltenecker without getting stepped on or kicked (Shiro had a hoof-shaped bruise for nearly a week), and Keith sometimes stole down into the pen with its simulated sunlight to watch Lance at work, if only to spy on how pretty the other boy was.

Lance was in the middle of telling a story about one of his sisters when he stopped and looked over at Keith, “You okay? You’ve been really quiet,” he asked.

Before Keith could think better of it, he blurted out, “You’re really cute.”

A stillness permeated the room then, before an explosion went off and Keith realized what he just said. Lance’s game flashed as his characters died from the little pixelated explosion that Lance hadn’t dodged, stunned as he was by Keith’s impulsive confession.

Keith felt his face burning and his heart start to pound.  _ What had he just done? _ He’d probably just ruined one of the best friendships he’d ever had in his life by confessing that he had a crush. His poor impulse control had once again gotten the better of him and now he was going to pay for it.

“Keith?” Lance asked, and he sounded short of breath. His cheeks were flushed bright pink and his eyes were wide and shimmering in the dim light.

Unable to handle those bright eyes boring into his own, Keith covered his face with his hands, wishing the floor would swallow him up and launch him into space. He flopped backwards onto the bed and curled up, as though to protect himself.

“Keith? Keith!” Lance called, leaning over him on the bed. Gently, Lance laid a hand on Keith’s wrist, not trying to pull his hand away from his face at all, only resting there, “Aw Keith, don't be shy,” he said, and Keith could  _ hear _ the smile in his voice, “I think you’re cute too!”

Keith’s heart took a moment to restart. He looked up at Lance through a gap in his fingers, “Really?” he asked, voice muffled by his palms.

Lance smiled, crooked and so fond Keith wanted to drown in it, “Yeah man, you didn’t notice?”

Keith slowly lowered his hands and shook his head. Lance blinked in shock, “Buddy, I’ve been flirting with you for  _ weeks _ my man. How did you  _ not _ notice?”

“I don't know! I don't notice these things!” Keith said, bolting upright, “It’s hard for me to pick up on subtleties and stuff.”

Lance blew out a breath, “Yeah, that’s true. I guess that’s on me. I should have been more direct,” he said. He smiled again and leaned forward into Keith’s space, “Hey, so, can I kiss you?”

Keith flushed even redder than he already was, “Wh-what?”

“I’m trying to be direct,” Lance said, as though that was an explanation, “Can I?”

The last few minutes swirled around in Keith’s head and he was starting to have trouble telling up from down. Words wouldn’t form on his tongue and his throat clogged, but Keith managed to give a jerky nod.

Lance smiled so big his cheeks made his eyes squint a little, “Okay, I’m going to kiss you now,” he said, moving closer. Keith couldn’t help but tense, and Lance slowed a little. When Keith made no move to stop him, Lance pushed the rest of the way forward and pressed his lips to Keith’s.

It was warm, just like Keith had always thought it would be. It was like Lance trapped the sunshine in his whole being and let it seep through his body. Keith relaxed almost instantly, intoxicated by the warmth, wishing he could crawl inside it and stay there forever. It occurred to him that he should kiss back and he tried to copy what Lance was doing with his lips. It was a little awkward, Keith had never kissed much, but it felt so nice that he didn't want to stop. He even chased after Lance a little when he pulled back.

He was still smiling, but it was softer now, and the look in his eyes made a shiver run up Keith’s spine. Lance gently put his hand over Keith’s and tangled their fingers together, “You’re cute,” he said.

Keith grumbled and put his head forward, “You’re a jerk,” he mumbled.

Lance laughed and brought his other arm up to wrap around Keith and pull him close, “You still think I’m cute though!” he said cheerfully.

“Yeah,” Keith said, resting his head on Lance’s bony shoulder, “You’re cute I guess.”

Lance nuzzled his cheek to the side of Keith’s head, “I think you’re really cute too.”

They stayed that way for a while, holding each other close and feeling each other’s breathing, their hands tangled together. Keith impulsivity may have gotten him into some sticky situations before, but whenever Lance was around, things always seemed to work out for the best.

**Author's Note:**

> Short and saccharine and gay. Just what the birthday girl ordered.


End file.
